ODU, Richmond dealing with different odds this time

NORFOLK

When Old Dominion and Richmond played at the Constant Center last year, it was for the mythical title of best men's basketball team in the commonwealth.

Sure, it was just December, but the Monarchs and Spiders already had claimed some eye-opening wins over major-conference foes. They were a pair of confident, veteran squads secure in their identities and styles of play, and obviously heading places.

Indeed they were. ODU, which prevailed 77-70, went on to win 27 games and the Colonial Athletic Association tournament. Richmond won 29, and the Atlantic 10 tourney. Each school's senior class finished as the most successful in school history.

As their annual rivalry moves up I-64 to the Robins Center tonight, the Monarchs and Spiders again have a lot in common, but their prospects are far murkier. Each program is retooling, and taking some hits along the way. ODU (5-5) has lost two straight. Richmond (6-5) has dropped three in a row for the first time in three years.

"We're still trying to fit it together, and it sounds like they are," ODU coach Blaine Taylor said.

That's hardly surprising. Richmond lost 5,000 career points from last year's team. ODU lost more than 4,200. Each team is an uncertain mix of veterans stepping into new roles and newcomers learning on the fly.

Each is also in the midst of a tough stretch of games, more suited to veteran teams than a pair trying to establish an identity.

ODU hasn't played at home in three weeks, and will play its fourth straight game away from the Constant Center. Richmond is coming off a loss at Bucknell and heads cross country to UCLA after hosting the Monarchs.

"They're trying to get to the holidays in one piece, like we are," Taylor said.

They've arrived at similar points via different routes. The Monarchs' shortcomings have been mostly offensive. Their shooting percentage (37.3) ranks 333rd among 345 Division I teams. Their 3-point percentage (26.3) ranks 334th.

Richmond's breakdowns have been defensive. The Spiders have allowed their last two opponents, Iona and Bucknell, to shoot 58.7 and 59.1 percent, respectively.

Something will have to give tonight, but ODU has the tougher task. The Monarchs haven't won at the Robins Center in 15 years.

This year's team is still figuring out how to win anywhere. ODU has utilized four different starting lineups and a myriad of other combinations in 10 games. The roster has been a work in progress. With the addition of Richard Ross and Donte Hill at the semester break, though, all the parts are finally in place.

Now, if the Monarchs could get some shots to fall. They missed 40 of 59 in a loss to UCF on Saturday.

"You're not going to beat anybody like that," senior Kent Bazemore said.

The Monarchs have spent the past couple of days working on getting better shots, and on following up the ones they miss. Last year's team missed its share as well, but often cleaned up after itself. ODU led the nation in offensive rebounding percentage, converting misses into second-chance points. This year's team ranks 140th.

That's a huge difference, and it has helped drag down ODU's shooting percentage, Taylor said.

"I don't know if we're that much different than we were a year ago in terms of making and missing shots," Taylor said. "(But) last year we were so good at putting it back up, that we had a saying: 'What's a miss among friends?' "

"Now, a miss gets magnified, especially when you're falling short just a few baskets."

Taylor said he can't fault his team for its effort. Other than a home overtime loss to Vermont, he said he hasn't been surprised by the way the season has played out so far, given the schedule and all the moving parts on the roster.

"I don't know what more you could want out of these guys," he said. "They are trying."

So is Richmond, struggling to find its way out of an identity crisis of its own.

Ed Miller, (757) 446-2372, ed.miller@pilotonline.com